Photos: GM auto workers strike across the US

Nearly 50,000 US auto workers walked off the job across the Midwest and South today in the first full strike against General Motors in 12 years.

Photos show United Automobile Workers union members demonstrating outside plants in states like Kentucky, Michigan, and Texas. Stalled contract negotiations with America’s largest carmaker spurred the work stoppage, which halted all production in the US and could go on to affect operations in Canada and Mexico.

Talks resumed after the strike began early this morning. UAW negotiators, whose contract with GM expired over the weekend, are looking to increase wages, which have been barely risen since 2010 and have actually fallen when adjusted for inflation.